Science < School of General Studies (2024)

The Core science requirement aims to develop critical awareness of the methods and limits of scientific inquiry, while fostering observational and analytical skills, particularly in reference to the natural and physical world. When choosing a science course, students should make sure they have reviewed and met the specified prerequisites for the course prior to enrollment.

Students who are considering careers in science-related fields, including health-related professions, are urged to begin their study of science within the first two semesters after matriculation atGS.

Science Requirement

To fulfill the science requirement, students must successfully complete three courses selected from two of the following Columbia departments or fromthe list of approved coursesbelow, no more than two of which should be from the same department:

• Astronomy
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology
• Physics
• Psychology (Columbia department only, excluding courses numbered at the 2600, 3600, or 4600 level)

Students who matriculate in spring 2023 or earlier may also use international high school leaving exams for which they received at least three transfer credits on the Entrance Credit Report (ECR) in one of the disciplines listed above to fulfilloneof the three science requirement courses. Students who matriculate in fall 2023 and later will not be able to receive science credit for international leaving exams.

List of Approved Science Courses

The list of approved courses that fulfill the science requirement includes recommended sequences, science courses for non-science majors, and approved courses from departments not listed above and Barnard.

The following two courses maysatisfy both theQRrequirement and one science requirement when passed with a letter-grade of C or above. The P/D/F grading option is not available for either of these two courses.

• Foundations of Science (SCNCUN1212)
  Using modern, student-centered, active and collaborative learning techniques, students will engage — through field observations, in-class experiments, computer simulations, and selected readings — with a range of ideas and techniques designed to integrate and anchor scientific habits of mind. Topics covered will include statistics, basic probability, a variety of calculations skills, graph reading and estimation, all aimed at elucidating such concepts as energy, matter, cells, and genes in the context of astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, neuroscience, and physics.

• FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE (SCNCCC1000)
  The principal objectives of Frontiers of Science are to engage students in the process of discovery by exploring topics at the forefront of science and to inculcate or reinforce the specific habits of mind that inform a scientific perspective on the world. Sample topics include the evolution of human language, brain dynamics, global climate change, thenanoworld, and biodiversity, among others.

GS students interested in taking Frontiers of Science should have earned a minimum score of 16 on the GS Quantitative Reasoning Exam and/or meet the specific criteria listed in the Quantitative Reasoning section of the website by the specified timelines. Prior to enrolling in Frontiers of Science, students should also read the first chapter of the electronic textbookScientific Habits of Mind and take the self-exam.

Courses Designed For Nonscience Majors

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Note:Students electing to takeHuman Origins and Evolution (EEEBUN1010)andBehavioral Biology of the Living Primates (EEEBUN1011)as a sequence are recommended, but not required, to takeEEEBUN1010beforeEEEBUN1011.

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Note:2600-, 3600-, or 4600-level psychology courses may not be used to fulfill the science requirement.

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Note:The Science of Psychology (PSYCUN1001) or an equivalent introductory course approved by the Psychology Departmentmust be taken as a prerequisite to any psychology course numbered 22xx or 24xx.

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Students may not receive credit for both PSYC BC 1101 and PSYC UN 1001. Psychology majors should consult the Psychology department for additional restrictions on overlapping courses.

Additional Courses Approved for the Science Requirement

Most of the following courses have required prerequisites and/or require instructor approval. Prerequisite and instructor approval requirements can be found in the course descriptions for each course or on the department website.

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Note:2600-, 3600-, or 4600-level psychology courses may not be used to fulfill the science requirement.

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Note:These courses may serve as a second term of a recommended sequence starting withThe Science of Psychology (PSYCUN1001).

Special Summer Program

The following special program fulfills two of the three terms of the science requirement.

Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability [EICES]

• Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U): Locations change yearly. Check with the center in the spring semester for details.